Floating breakwater for seaplanes, flying boats, and for other uses



Oct. 30, 1945. E w, 'cvmY 2,388,171

FLOATING BREAKWATER FOR SEAPLANES, FLYING BOATS AND FOR O HER USES Filed July 13, 1944 r wmvsss- 111 INVENTOR.

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ATTOR EYS Patented Oct. 30, 1945 FLOATING BREAKWATER FOR SEAPLANES, FLYING BOATS, AND FOR OTHER USES Edward W. McVitty, New York, N. Y. Application July 13, 1944, Serial No. 544,686

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for providing a landing for seaplanes and the like.

The invention is intended for use in bodies of water which at times are so rough as to make landings of seaplanes, flying boats and the like, hazardous and unsafe. The use of this invention will reduce the roughness of such large bodies of water in restricted areas, suflicient to permit the safe landing of seaplanes, flying boats and the like in such areas, without damage to the planes, and facilitate the mooring thereof in rough seas. Under certain conditions the reduction of the roughness of the sea by the use of this invention will permit the take-off of seaplanes and flying boats without damage to them. The invention has other and extended uses such as creating substantially cahn water on an unpro tected shore for boats, during loading and unloading, either from a dock or beach.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the floating breakwater of this invention, illustrated as anchored in a large body of water, showing a seaplanein the act of landing upon the lee side of the breakwater; Fig. 2 is an end sectional view of the device of Fi 1; Fig. 3 is a detailed enlargement of some of the units making up the breakwater; and Fig. 4 is an end view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The floating breakwater of this invention is composed of a multiplicity of floating members I, which are so constructed as to be water-tight and float with a portion thereof above water. The floats I are arranged in spaced relation in a series of parallel rows. The two outer rows 2 and 3 arranged in lengthwise direction and the two crosswise rows 4 and 5, are secured, respectively, to the flexible lengthwise supports 6'| and the crosswise supports 8-9. At the point of junction of a lengthwise support and a crosswise support, the ends thereof are connected by a suitable ring member ID. Each unit I of the outer rows of supports is connected at two places to its corresponding support by flexible connection H, excepting that the corner floats are connected by three flexible connections to thesupports. One of the flexible connections for the corner unit extends to the lengthwise support and one to a crosswise support and the third to the point of junction In of a crosswise support and a lengthwise support. Additional floating members I are arranged inside of the outer rows of such floating members and are connected to the outer rows of floating members and to each other by flexible connections l2. Each of the floating members is provided with a suitable connecting (Cl. IM -43.5)

eye l3, from which the flexible connections extend from the outer supports 6-9 or to an eye of an opposite float.

The four corners of the breakwater are eac provided with a chain or rope and anchor, which, when dropped to the sea or water bottom, will anchor the floating breakwater in extended condition, retaining the individual floats in non-contacting relation. 7

The flexible connections 6, l, 8 and 9 may be made of metal cable, chain or rope, or other flexible material which has the capacity of readily bending to permit the floats to have a considerable degree of independent movement.

The entire breakwater is in the form of a large web and when in anchored position is retained in a stretched condition by the four anchors 18, the connection between the floating members being taut. When the breakwater is in anchored position, the pull of the anchor tends to pull the peripheral supports 69 under water, but the outer rows of floats I will remain above water in floating position as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Assuming that the breakwater of this invention has been anchored and encounters rough water, the waves will strike the outermost row of floats I and the force thereof will be initially dampened. As the water proceeds toward the successive rows of floats and impacts such floats, its force will be successively reduced or dampened, providing a body or area of water on the lee side of the floating breakwater for the landing or mooring of seaplanes and the like, for the loading and unloading of boats upon beaches or at docks and for other use requiring substantially calm water in an area in which the sea would normally be rough. By attaching the floating members to one another, a large degree of independence of motion is permitted between the successive rows of floating units. The flexible connection between the floats is also a factor in reducing the degree of impact transmitted from row of floats to row of floats. This is desirable inasmuch as the entire breakwater does not move as a unit but rather as a multiplicity of units, each resisting quite independently whatever wave forces may reach it.

I claim:

1. A breakwater for reducing the force of waves comprising a series or floats, each float being connected to an adjoining float by a flexible connection, a series of flexible connecting members forming the outside of said breakwater, the floats at the outer portion of the breakwater being individually connected to said flexible connecting verging together and being secured together, anchors attached at a series of spaced points to said connecting members for holding the floats apart. I

2. A breakwater according to claim 1, in which the float units are arranged in rows and the units of adjoining rows are arranged in staggered relation.

3. A'breakwaterforreducingtheiforce' of waves I to provide a'lee side; comprising a series of flexr 2,888,171 members, ends of said connecting members con- 'float units being connected with said connecting members, each float unit inside of said outer units being connected to a plurality of float units.

EDWARD W. MCVIT'I'Y. 

